Phases of the Moon

In the Echos ~ Part III of the Shades and Grays Series

Baze Malbus wasn't sure what he thought of the stranger who had taken to resting near Chirrut Îmwe and himself the past couple days. She was a Togruta with drab colored green skin, like something between a greener moss and a lighter olive, while her lekku and montrals were a royal purple color and her white facial markings were strangely geometric, as if planned. She was dressed like a pilgrim, loose and well worn clothing all varying shades of brown covering the majority of her body, barely doing enough to fight off the cold of Jedha, even with the mottled gray colored cloak she often had wrapped around herself.

But whoever she was, she was no pilgrim. She would have long since moved on, had that been the case. No, Baze was more tempted to label her a thief from her ever watching eyes, though Chirrut had laughed at that when he mentioned it the night after she had first decided to hang around near them.

It was all Chirrut's fault. If he hadn't decided to draw her attention, she'd have just passed them by like so many others. But no, he had to call out, "I see you hiding in plain sight, Shade-walker."

She, then just a hooded figure that hardly drew eyes despite her unusual species and one of many strangers in the bustling marketplace, had frozen before slowly backtracking to face them, her form seeming to suddenly become more concrete and her face more recognizable.

"What are you?" she had questioned.

"I am Chirrut Îmwe, a Guardian of the Whills," Chirrut answered. Baze would have rolled his eyes had it not been the hundredth time he'd heard that particular answer. He was glad he hadn't, because he'd have missed the glint of recognition in the stranger's eyes.

"I see."

"You followed the Force's call here."

Usually that was the moment a mark, well, less a mark and more someone about to be drawn in to give money for what little advice Chirrut could offer, was either sucked in or decided there was no reason to stick around. That said, Baze couldn't help but notice that Chirrut hadn't added on anything else, namely enough of a hint of mind reading or precognition or understanding-of-current-state to convince the mark the stop was worthwhile. No, really it was more like he was stating a fact, as though the Force was in fact the only reason the stranger had visited the planet, which was impossible for a number of reasons.

This Togruta, however, didn't react, simply studying the self proclaimed Guardian for one long moment before finally speaking: "Where should I go? I admit I'm out of habit, and the path has eluded me since I landed. I know I must be here, but I don't know why."

"You have come early," Chirrut answered instead of asking for payment. "Wait awhile, and you will find the ghost-blade on your back most useful."

And so, Shadewalker was still around. The Togruta had yet to volunteer her name, not that Baze had asked. He wasn't sure what to think of her. Sure, she hadn't done anything besides just sit and silently wait as Chirrut had suggested, but still.... It was hard to know whether or not you could trust strangers this day in age.

"Would you trade that necklace for a glimpse into your future?"

Ah, a new mark.

~*~

"Let them pass in peace."

Jyn Erso was tempted to laugh. The blind pilgrim she had spoken to earlier was standing in an archway seemingly staring at the stormtroopers who had captured her and Cassian. She had thought he was nothing more than a conman, but maybe he was more of a zealot. He was about to martyr himself for absolutely no reason after all.

"Let them pass in peace," he said once more, leaning lightly on his staff. The stormtroopers were already repositioning themselves, aiming blasters at the rather harmless pilgrim.